By Samindra Kunti in St Petersburg
June 27 – Confederations Cup organisers say they are satisfied with the way the group stages have gone, but acknowledge that the video assistant referees need time to fine-tune their decision-making. Dubbed as the ‘half time’ press conference, FIFA and its Russian organisers gave their view on the tournament so far and the issues arising.
June 27 – Manchester City is venturing into the area of eSports promotion and will host its first eSports tournament open to fans in the US – the Man City FIFA 17 Cup – on the Battlefy platform to coincide with the club’s pre-season 2017 tour to the US.
June 27 – TV revenues have revolutionised club football finances in Europe. But it is how those revenues are distributed that is crucial to the competitive integrity of leagues, the sustainability of clubs and the competitive balance between the rich and poor.
June 27 – Gérard Linard (pictured), the new chairman of the Belgian Football Association (KBVB), wasted no time criticising his predecessor Francois De Keersmaecker, saying that the federation needs to end its current malaise and modernise.
June 27 – Premier League newcomers have allayed fears over the safety of the Amex Stadium after it emerged the cladding for the stadium was produced by Reynobond, the manufacturer of the cladding used in the Grenfell Tower that was devastated by fire last week, claiming the lives of at least 79 occupants.
June 27 – FCA Mexico and the FCA National Dealer Association of Mexico have announced a two-year sponsorship of Mexico’s National Soccer team which will see the Jeep brand providing the official vehicles for the Mexican national team.
June 27 – Kenyan online betting operator SportPesa is to pull out of its sponsorship of the Kenyan Premier League and the Kenyan Football Federation after the government introduced a new law imposing a 35% tax rate of gross profit on all gambling activities.
By Paul Nicholson
June 26 – The dispute over the running of football in Cameroon that has seen FIFA’s unequivocal support of Tombi A Roko Sidiki as Cameroon FA (Fecafoot) president has entered a new phase. News is emerging of a complaint filed to FIFA’s ethics body against president Gianni Infantino and secretary general Fatma Samoura.
By Samindra Kunti in St Petersburg
June 26 – Russia’s bid for home Confederations Cup glory crumbled with defeat against Mexico 2-1. The Mexicans now progress to the semi-finals with tournament favourites Portugal, Chile and Germany.
June 26 – Russian deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko blasted newspaper reports that Russia’s 2014 World Cup squad is under investigation for doping as part of the McLaren report as “nonsense”.
By Paul Nicholson
June 26 – The messy divorce of English businessman Mike Ashley from his involvement in Scottish giants Rangers now looks to be complete with Ashley having sold his remaining 8.9% shareholding in Rangers International Football Club for £2 million.
June 26 – Germany’s Bundesliga has reported a new attendance record for its top two divisions in the 2016/17 season.
June 26 – The Ethical Commission of Albania’s Football Federation have stripped leading club side Skenderbeu Sports Club of its 2015-16 League Championship win and deducted 12 points from last season’s total due to “conspiring to influence the outcome of matches contrary to sports ethics for the season 2015-2016.”
June 26 – Whilst the system of video assistant referees being used at the FIFA Confederations Cup has generated controversy, it seems to be a hit with Russian authorities who are in discussions with FIFA about keeping the system in place for domestic games.
By Paul Nicholson
June 23 – The sentencing in the US of Jeffrey Webb, the former CONCACAF president and FIFA vice president arrested in Zurich in hotel raids in May 2015 has been postponed for the fifth time by a Brooklyn federal court judge. The new date is now set for 24 January 2018.